News

Bombers secure Prismall

Friday, 10 October 2008
Cara Pelchen for essendonfc.com.au
Page 1 of 1

Essendon has secured the services of promising midfielder, Brent Prismall in the dying minutes of AFL trade week in exchange for pick 39.

Debuting in 2006, Prismall has played 25 senior games and would have held a position in Geelong’s grand final side had he not required a knee reconstruction following an injury in the 2008 qualifying final.

Despite being offered a two-year contract extension with Geelong, the 22-year-old felt opportunities would be greater at another club, with Essendon his preferred destination.

Click here to watch Matthew Knights speak exclusively about Brent Prismall

Essendon coach Matthew Knights said the signing of Prismall was a real coup for the Bombers.

“We are really thrilled to have a 22-year-old player coming into our club who has shown a fair degree of talent in the early stages of his career,” Knights said.

“When we sat and spoke to Brent earlier in the week, we were pleased with his leadership aspirations and the way he saw football and life moving forward"

“Our view on Brent is that he will come in and really add to our midfield and be an integral part of our midfield - we feel he will really add to our current playing group.”

Prismall has signed a three-year deal with Essendon.

Meanwhile speedy midfielder, Andrew Lovett will remain at Windy Hill after Essendon and Geelong failed to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.

“We explored all options with Geelong to endeavour to complete the trade but unfortunately were unable to come to a conclusion that suited both clubs,” Knights explained.

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Agh what a relief, thats our best trade story for 5 years. hope he gets his knee right now and gives us some class through our midfield... great news bombers

- Theodore Halacas (posted 10/10/2008 12:54:48 PM)

Great Job Essendon - finally a recruit worth taking well under 25 years! It sets up our future not just for the next two years.

- Matthew Amery (posted 10/10/2008 1:02:11 PM)

Excellent result especially if we keep Lovett, it would be a good trade week

- Mark McLachlan (posted 10/10/2008 1:04:39 PM)

Get this boys knee right, great get!!!

- Damian Lake (posted 10/10/2008 1:06:19 PM)

so far, so good. Prismall is a great get and most importantly, Andy Lovett is still a Bomber!!!

- Jason Dodson (posted 10/10/2008 1:06:49 PM)

Well done boys. Good trade. Prismall for pick 39 but even better, we now keep Lovett!

- Andrew Cichello (posted 10/10/2008 1:08:07 PM)

Well done Bombers we get out man and we still keep Lovett, for only pick 39. One of the best trades we have done for a long time. Welcome Brent, you now have become our number 1 midfielder. This will help Stants, McVeigh, Watson, Lonergan to no end. Great news! Go Dons!

- Malcolm Milgate (posted 10/10/2008 1:10:49 PM)

Fantastic result to get such a young, promising midfielder and potential leader to come to our Club, especially for pick 39. Not unhappy to see Lovett stay either. Hope he works hard and earns an extension to his contract.

- Graham Flynn (posted 10/10/2008 1:17:06 PM)

Great pick up he is going to fit right into a midfield, can not wait to see him in action for the bombers!!

- Danielle Gibbs (posted 10/10/2008 1:18:44 PM)

Now get O' Keefe in the Pre Season Draft come on knighters dont let Carlton grab another big name please

- Ben Gardner (posted 10/10/2008 1:18:53 PM)

About time we had a favourable draft. To retain a great young speedster in Lovett and also pick up a promising young superstar in Prismall for basically nothing ahs been a great result. I'm wrapped the club have retained both first and second round picks in this yaers draft. Welcome to a great club Brent. Things are looking up in deed..Go Bombers.

- Rick Lee (posted 10/10/2008 1:21:27 PM)

Great end to trade week. Couldn't have asked for more in getting a good player with lots of potential and keeping andrew lovett. Lovett is a Bomber at heart and should stay that way til retirement. CARN DONS!!!

- Liam Doidge (posted 10/10/2008 1:21:38 PM)

i think i have to agree with most people on this - sounds like a good deal - i'm sure his knee reco will heal beautifully!

- Helen Scully (posted 10/10/2008 1:22:18 PM)

Woohoo....we keep Lovett....and Prismall is a very good pick up

- Kevin Jackson (posted 10/10/2008 1:25:04 PM)

Great stuff Bombers! Very happy with Prismall. We got him reasonably cheap too which is great news. Also happy to hear Lovett is staying. He is a clever player and really adds class to the team.

- Jane McMenaman (posted 10/10/2008 1:25:42 PM)

omg they just made it in time, imagine he tripped over and missed putting the forms in lol we done guys great job, and lets hope lovett can get his head right

- Damen Smyrnis (posted 10/10/2008 1:26:03 PM)

Great get bombers! Get that knee right!!! I dont care if he doesnt play till round 11, make sure his knee is in A grade shape. Prismall should be seen as a 200 game player for us, missing 10 games wont hurt us if we can get 8 or 10 years of good footy. Welcome to the family Brent, make us proud. Go Dons!

- Chris Lacey (posted 10/10/2008 1:30:09 PM)

What a great swap....effectively pick 39 for Prismall and Lovett!!! It's a big win, because Lovett is worth more than pick 39, and so is Prismall too! The knee injury is only a short term hiccup. And there's still room to grab O'Keefe in the pre-season draft...Bring on '09!

- Gavin Higgins (posted 10/10/2008 1:30:38 PM)

WELL DONE PRISMALL A GUN MIDFIELDER WHO CAN RUN ALL DAY AND THE BIG BONUS IS WE GET TO KEEP OUR STAR ANDREW LOVETT

- Luke Jones (posted 10/10/2008 1:30:40 PM)

Yes !!! Keep Lovett (phew..cause for great refief) and gain Prismall. Well done !!

- Adrianne Blainey (posted 10/10/2008 1:33:14 PM)

Thomson goes to Richmond for 42, we get Prismall for 39. We have ourselves a bargain! Welcome to the club Pris!

- Matthew Caddy (posted 10/10/2008 1:46:13 PM)

LOVETT staying is great news. No one deserves to be publicly humiliated as he has over the last 9 months. It's time the leadership group got behind him!!!!

- Stefan Hruszowski (posted 10/10/2008 1:49:54 PM)

Best trade by the Bombers in years. Prismall will become an Essendon champion! And as a bonus, Lovett stays a Bomber. Great trade period Bombers!

- James Duthie (posted 10/10/2008 2:00:32 PM)

Great news! Fantastic news!

- Steven Christian (posted 10/10/2008 2:05:08 PM)

Welcome to the mighty Essendon Bombers Brent, great player with a big future. Glad to see Lovett stay too, great player

- elle ghalayini (posted 10/10/2008 2:11:44 PM)

Brent Prismall, welcome to the greatest club in the land. well done bombers.

- Michael Wiles (posted 10/10/2008 2:12:09 PM)

Ditto every comment in here. Prismall is a super pick up. I wanted us to chase him this time last year. Ironically he probably wouldn't have left if it weren't for the injury, so lets hope we can turn a negative into a massive positive. Great to see Lovett staying too.... hopefully he uses this as motivation and doesn't let it become a negative effect, as he really can form a key element of our next premiership tilt (alongside Prizz!)

- Alex Price (posted 10/10/2008 2:20:56 PM)

Great news. Now for Ryan O'Keefe is the Pre-season draft

- Nathan Beever (posted 10/10/2008 2:21:17 PM)

well done in getting prismall and lovett staying were he belongs hopefully that was awake up call to him the year is already looking better ..GO THE BOMBERS

- mario borg (posted 10/10/2008 2:33:20 PM)

The match he went down with his knee injury before he did I was discussing with my friend whether I would take him with Pick 5! I said no but definitely our round 2 pick so very happy with the trade

- Jared Nash (posted 10/10/2008 2:34:29 PM)

Thats great news. Hope he's a great player for us!

- Georgina Holloway (posted 10/10/2008 2:38:57 PM)

Great news to hear welcome to windy hill prismall hopley you and lovett can get some speed and hopefully we can make the finals next year in 2009.

- Danny Namoni (posted 10/10/2008 2:47:41 PM)

Great recruit Essendon - we get a young guy (Prismall) and we also get to keep our Andy - well done - Shirley P.

- Shirley Price (posted 10/10/2008 3:04:00 PM)

Its a win-win to get Prismall and keep Lovett without giving up much. Great opportunity for Lovett to have a big pre-season and become an elite midfileder. Now the aim should be to get a tall defender in the pre-season and perhaps Okeefe. Would have loved to have got Solly back for nothing.

- Andrew Leung (posted 10/10/2008 3:06:46 PM)

Fantastic to pick up a young midfielder with promise. But for all you supporters who want Knights and co plus the leadership group to get behind Lovett I'm sure they have tried everything over the last 3 years, its now up to Lovett to prove he should stay.

- Russell House (posted 10/10/2008 3:18:09 PM)

MAGNIFICENT MAGNIFICENT MAGNIFICENT well done essendon staff. we have now got one of the stars of the future (Prismall) to our team and if we get lovetts outside football area right we will have one of the most exciting teams in the competition not to mention best well done Essendon Football Club

- James Harrington (posted 10/10/2008 3:20:58 PM)

gr8 job prismal and lovett

- Adam Buccheri (posted 10/10/2008 3:24:45 PM)

Hi Andrew, if you happened to read this…..there’s not a single negative comment in this blog about you staying with Essendon. Which speaks volumes for the admiration the supporters have for you. I hope the club and you can draw a line under whatever it is that happened in the past, and next season, you will become the outstanding champion that you are destined to be. Talent (of which you have tons) is a god-given; what you do with it is up to you. Good Luck; the fact that you are staying has made my day.

- Klaus Erbgut (posted 10/10/2008 3:51:19 PM)

Good pick up. WE kept Lovett as well. Let's hope he turns the corner.

- Nicholas Morrey (posted 10/10/2008 3:56:20 PM)

that is really good news we needed a mid-fielder like prismal and good to hear lovett is staying

- Natalie Stoios (posted 10/10/2008 3:57:49 PM)

VERY GOOD START TO OUR PREPARATIONS FOR SEASON 09. Prismall is a fantastic pick up (hopefully his knee holds up and he can prove to bomber fans his worth), and LOVETT - fantastic stuff he's stayin at bomberland! lookin good for 09.

- mary agius (posted 10/10/2008 4:06:09 PM)

Terrific Don's greatest deal ever we keep Lovett, get a young midfielder who I think will be a future star, all for measly pick 39. Congrates Knights, Dodoro & Keane

- Trent Hobson (posted 10/10/2008 4:06:57 PM)

WELL DONE TEAM! great get man brent is a gun and we still have lovett...yesss. and pick 5 and 23 woooooowwwww...boys get his knee right. GO BOMBERS!!!

- mohamed ali (posted 10/10/2008 4:07:13 PM)

great choice in prismal for pick 39 what a bonus. and we get too keep our exciting machine in andrew lovett well done essendon staff.now get your head right andrew.

- leigh hall (posted 10/10/2008 4:08:32 PM)

Players of Prismal's character will help define our young list into a long term force to be reckoned with. The pieces of the puzzle are starting to fall into place and i can see Knights and Co vision becoming reality. Lovett staying is in the club's best interest.

- Greg Sorenson (posted 10/10/2008 4:21:19 PM)

Great to see Lovett is playing on with the bombers I think he has allot more too offer and it is good to see Essendon pick up some promising talent that has more than just a couple of years left in them.

- Philip Martin (posted 10/10/2008 4:38:04 PM)

Welcome to Essendon Brent make yourself at home. Iv'e actually wanted you to come to Essendon for quite a while, finally the day has come. Hope you get well soon and in the red and the black.

- Matthew Holloway (posted 10/10/2008 4:38:47 PM)

A very big welcome to Brent Prismall enjoy your time at bomberland well done to Matty Knights and the boys for a great pick-up.

- Alex Davin (posted 10/10/2008 5:29:05 PM)

Well done Dodoro,Knights&Keane!Outstanding result.To get Prismall for pick 39 AND keep Lovett well that's the best trade result i can remeber in YEARS!To Andrew Lovett-MAKE THE MOST OF THIS OPPORTUNITY.DON'T break the hearts of people who believe in you(as you can see above)by being undisciplined!Knuckle down & use your talent& opportunity WISELY!Welcome to the greatest club in the AFL Brent.Can't wait til you get out there.Awesome get!Now go after O'Keefe bombers-STUFF CARLTON THE CHEATS!

- Mark Elze (posted 10/10/2008 5:48:11 PM)

More than happy to get Prismall for pick 39 but come on people the club bent over backwards to get rid of Lovett. I'm sure they wouldn't have done this unless it was to be in the club's best interests. It is now up to Lovett to pull his head in and play out the rest of his career using the POTENTIAL he has shown.

- Greg Baker (posted 10/10/2008 5:56:23 PM)

Great to see we finally are getting benefits from the trade. Brent will be a crucial player for us for years to come. It is a win win for us this year. lets get 09 started!!!!

- Rob Apostoloski (posted 10/10/2008 5:59:32 PM)

Good work Essendon,Prismall should have a good future with the bombers (injury free).Hopefully Andrew Lovett can move foreward &show his worth on a regular basis next season& seasons beyond with the BOMBERS.GOOD luck in 09.

- Andrew Bryce (posted 10/10/2008 6:34:07 PM)

this s the best news i've heard a our club all year. thisyear there has jst been bad news all year. injury after injury. brent rismall is a star player, and he will really add to out young guns in myers and houli. hello our new look midfield! :) lovett staying isn't all bad news. he is a handy second string player, or maybe a bloke of the bench. bring on next year! YEH BOY!

- James Brown (posted 10/10/2008 6:39:53 PM)

prismal is a bargain at 39 and even if we only get a half year out of the first year at pick 39 we could of got a kid who didn't play a game,at least we know he can make the grade,lovett staying is icing on the cake as speedy midfielders who kick goals are very valuable,shane briggs

- Samantha Briggs (posted 10/10/2008 7:20:57 PM)

I'm glad we not only get Prismal but also get to keep our excitment machine. Already looking forward to the 2009 season from over here in New Zealand.

- Shaun Baker (posted 10/10/2008 7:28:58 PM)

Well Done Bombers brent Prismall is a great pick up welcome brent to To EFC he will add more class to our midfield and this kid can play make no mistakes about that a gun midfielder good to have you at our club brent go bombers bring on 2009 cant wait

- Chris Dinter (posted 10/10/2008 7:31:12 PM)

Well done bombers we get Prismal, keep Lovett all we need now is to pick up Ryan O'Keefe in the pre season draft and we may be on track to a good 2009 season.

- Nick Davies (posted 10/10/2008 7:31:33 PM)

Brent Prismall is worth a try, but Farren Ray would have been a definate chance to boost us. Andy Lovett is a Bomber and we all know what he is capable of. A good ruckmen and back man is what we need.

- Rodney Broadbent (posted 10/10/2008 8:18:24 PM)

I HAVE TEARS IN MY EYES!!!! WE ARE KEEPING ANDREW LOVETT YAY!!!! C'MON LOVEY....MAKE 2009 COUNT. WELL DONE AND ALL THE BEST TO BRENT PRISMALL.

- Joanne Wallis (posted 10/10/2008 8:23:23 PM)

Well done, we keep lovett and just managed to rack up Prismall (BOTH OF ARE GREAT VALUE)Now on the draft we should aim for position players like a good ruckman for pick no.1, a good strong defender for pick no.2 and the rest will be in the mould of a tall defender.

- mark manginsay (posted 10/10/2008 9:03:01 PM)

gr8 work essendonfc........last five years or so we have picked up duds frm other clubs but this is a massive scoop...brent has got the exp. playing for a premiership side......also happy with lovett staying put.........cant wait to see him burn the G with jetta,loneragon,houli and pris

- Ahmad Bilal (posted 10/10/2008 9:26:15 PM)

im so very happy that essendon kept andrew lovett because he is a class player and welcome to the essendon football club brent prismal .and go the mighty bombers

- Norman Cacciattolo (posted 10/10/2008 10:24:01 PM)

Great get! although i love stanton and watson, its great to have a class midfielder on board.

- CHAD SCHULTE (posted 10/10/2008 11:03:20 PM)

2009, its the Brent show! Stanton and Prismall tearing it up

- Rob Crawford (posted 10/10/2008 11:04:27 PM)

Thank Kevin that's over! (Oh, weeelll, let;s thank some other deity, then.) We get a 22-yr-old mid-fielder even the Cats wanted to keep AND we still get to keep Lovett. Another Brent - yippee! Good luck, mate! And Andy - for Kevin's sake cut of the goofing off! You have fans that love you and a club that is going somewhere. I'm smiling all the way from Tokyo. Come on 2009!

- Kris Bayne (posted 10/10/2008 11:19:55 PM)

Great work Knighta now take Hurley at pick 5 and get O'Keefe in the PSD.

- Matthew Holloway (posted 11/10/2008 10:42:14 AM)

prismal will look great in the number 9! Essendon finally got a trade right. first time in 5 years!

- James Hertan (posted 11/10/2008 2:17:31 PM)

just what the club really needs ... another injured player.... well done bombers...... NOT.......

- Wally Mayski (posted 12/10/2008 4:03:59 AM)

No i want prismall in 14

- Matthew Holloway (posted 12/10/2008 9:45:36 AM)

Amazing now how relieved supporters are we keep Lovett - perhaps Knighter is smarter than I thought, as the Dons willingness to trade should put a blow torch to Andy. Given the lack of guarantee of draft picks, Prisnall may be a good pick up if he's knee comes good. It does take at least a full season post acl usually to regain lost ground tho, so do not expect too much in 09. Lets get our boys fit and on the park, and have great season.

- Alok O'Brien (posted 12/10/2008 10:13:08 AM)

we into censorship now!!! only positive comments are posted!!!! my view is that we just got another injury into the club ....lets hope he recovers to play a handfull of games>!!!!!

- Wally Mayski (posted 12/10/2008 5:26:32 PM)

very happy with the results...GO LOVETT AND BOMBERS 2009

- Laloua Simmons (posted 13/10/2008 10:02:40 AM)

Getting Prismall and keeping Lovett is fantastic. I'm beginning to salivate when looking at the speed and potential of our midfield, a list consisting of Lovett, McVeigh, Monfries, Prismall, Davey, Watson, Stanton, Houli, Reimers, Lonergan, Atkinson, Jetta etc. We have the youth, now go for the experienced O'Keefe and deny Carlton with draft pick 5. For pick 23 go for a potential fullback, a 193+cm, 95+ kilos. For pick 55 another project ruckman to learn with Bellchambers. For pick 71, what ever is needed. Pears, Hooker and Daniher will all make good backline players - just build up their bodies.

- Robert Murray (posted 13/10/2008 12:53:06 PM)

The Essendon Brains Trust has done something right??! -'54Bomber

- Mark Rushby (posted 13/10/2008 2:50:12 PM)

Welcome Brent anthor young gun to boost our midfeild stocks bargain at 39 remember Geelong toke Joel Selwood at 7 just after a knee reco (and he played in a Premiership)and Collingwood with Chris Dawes both are now playing great footy im sure the medical report was clear so there should'nt be anything to worry about

- simon mayo (posted 13/10/2008 4:17:33 PM)

wellcome to essendon prismall, great to have u at the club looking forward to u having a great career at the club. hope ur knee gets back to 100% and u'll be rite. glad to have lovett staying lets hope he go's done the right path.

- Daniel Ferguson (posted 14/10/2008 1:10:56 PM)

Agreed, a good pick up particularly in light of keeping Lovett. Surely the older, wiser heads running the club can settle Lovett down. I'd hate to think the club failed to win out in the end and not get the most out of a very good player.

- Francis Connolly (posted 14/10/2008 10:53:28 PM)

Sounds okay but lets see how bad that knee is - not all recons are the same, some recover 100 percent, some are never the same again. Geelong would have kept him if they thought he was value. Dont worry bout pick 39, Hirdie was alot lower than that so the number means nothing. Hope Lovett gets his head right, Prismall's knee heals fully and I get to sing the song 15 times next year!

- Kip Hobson (posted 15/10/2008 7:04:22 AM)

Off field the Bombers are firing! Recruiting Brent is the latest in a number of great improvements that include delistings and the recruitment of key fitness staff and coaches. O'Keefe would have been a mistake - too old! Better to recruit 18-22yo players. 10/10 so far for Bombers management - let's hope the draft selections follow suit.

- Greg Hamilton (posted 15/10/2008 11:26:54 AM)

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